#NBAVideos: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Speaks After Evening The Series In Game 2 | May 7, 2025

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Speaks After Evening The Series In Game 2 | May 7, 2025

>> WHO’S GOT. >> THE MIC FIRST FOR SHAY EVERYBODY. READY? GO AHEAD. >> GO. SHAY. WHAT’S THE FEELING OUT THERE. JUST FROM A CONCENTRATION URGENCY FOCUS STANDPOINT. IT JUST SEEMED LIKE EVERY POSSESSION YOU GUYS WERE EXTREMELY LOCKED IN. >> YEAH, WE KNEW. >> WHAT WAS AT STAKE TONIGHT. WE CAME OUT DESPERATE. WE WANTED TO JUST TAKE CARE AND CONTROL THE THINGS THAT WE KNEW WE COULD. AND WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF THAT SPECIFICALLY TO START THE GAME. AND THAT START CARRIED US THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT. >> MARK WAS SAYING THE GAME PLAN WAS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. JUST YOU GUYS DID IT FOR A FULL 48 MINUTES AT AN EVEN HIGHER LEVEL. WHAT’S THAT LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO BE ABLE TO AMP IT UP AND EXECUTE THE WAY THAT YOU DID? >> YEAH, IT IT’S GOOD. IT’S A GOOD FEELING. GOOD FOR OUR CONFIDENCE. BUT LIKE WITH THE SERIES ESPECIALLY THIS LATE IN THE SEASON, EVERY GAME IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT. WE KNOW THAT EVERY TEAM’S GOING TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT. THEY’RE GOING TO THROW A CURVE BALL LIKE WE CAN’T. JUST LIKE WE COULDN’T RELISH ON THE LOSS. WE CAN’T RELISH ON THE WIN. WE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD. TAKE THE GOOD THINGS FROM FROM TONIGHT AND SCRATCH THE BAD THINGS AND BE A BETTER TEAM COME THE NEXT GAME. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE FOCUSED ON. >> SO YOU TALKED LAST GAME ABOUT BEING INTERESTED IN SEEING THIS TEAM’S RESPONSE. OBVIOUSLY LIKE EARLY THE PUNCHES THERE EARLY. YOU GUYS LIKE JAY WILLS GETTING INTO A SKIRMISH WITH RUSS. DID YOU SENSE LAST GAME ON THE ROAD THAT YOU GOT PUNKED SO TO SPEAK. AND HOW DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU RESPONDED TO THE PHYSICALITY AND JUST EVERYTHING THIS GAME? >> YEAH. NO, I DON’T THINK WE GOT PUNKED AT ALL. WE PRETTY MUCH HAD CONTROL OF THE WHOLE GAME LAST GAME JUST DIDN’T EXECUTE DOWN THE STRETCH. BUT JUST AS AS A GROUP, X’S AND O’S INTANGIBLES GAME PLAN, WE CLEARLY THREW THE FIRST PUNCH TONIGHT. THE FIRST HIT. AND THAT’S WHY WE GOT OFF TO THE START. WE DID. IT’S JUST ABOUT TRYING TO TRYING TO REPLICATE THAT AND ADJUST AS THEY ADJUST AND BE A BETTER TEAM COME GAME THREE. >> AND DID YOU SEE ANYTHING CHANGE OR WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SEE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE POSITIONS YOU SORT OF WERE ABLE TO PUT JOKIC IN AS A AS A TEAM COMPARED TO LAST GAME? >> I THINK LIKE COACH SAID, WE JUST EXECUTED THE GAME PLAN AT A HIGHER LEVEL, DID IT WITH MORE URGENCY, PHYSICALITY, ASSERTIVENESS AND IT WORKED IN OUR FAVOR. >> BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU DIDN’T FEEL LIKE THE PLAYOFFS WERE PRESSURE SITUATIONS FOR YOU, AND YOU JUST MENTIONED HOW YOU GUYS CAME INTO THIS GAME DESPERATE. BUT WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE THIS IS A PRESSURE SITUATION, HOW DO YOU ALSO, AS A LEADER OF THIS TEAM, GET YOUR TEAMMATES NOT TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS A PRESSURE SITUATION. >> I THINK LIKE LIKE WE ALL WANT TO WIN REALLY BADLY AND THAT’S LIKE THE GOAL WE SET OUT FOR. WHEN YOU PICK UP A BASKETBALL, WHEN YOU’RE A KID AND YOU START THE SEASON AT WHATEVER LEVEL YOU’RE AT. BUT LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S STILL JUST A GAME. IT’S STILL IT’S A GAME THAT WE ALL STARTED JUST HAVING FUN WITH AND HAS TAKEN US ACROSS THE WORLD. AND I TRY TO REMIND MYSELF THAT AND REMIND THE TEAM THAT THAT LIKE, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, LIKE GO OUT THERE, HAVE FUN AND GIVE IT YOUR ALL AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES YOU. AND THEN FROM THERE THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY ARE. AND WE DID THAT TONIGHT. WE CAME OUT, WE PLAYED FREE, WE PLAYED AGGRESSIVE AND THE CHIPS FELL IN OUR FAVOR. BUT YEAH. AND WE’RE ALSO AT OUR BEST WHEN WE PLAY FREE AND PLAY CONFIDENT. SO TRYING TO GET BACK TO THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IS DEFINITELY A TOP OF OUR LIST. >> SHAY, YOU TOLD US AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE OF GAMES AGAINST MEMPHIS THAT YOU FELT GREAT, EVEN IF YOUR SHOT WAS OFF, HOW MUCH BETTER DO YOU FEEL NOW AFTER THE START YOU’VE GOTTEN OFF IN THIS SERIES AND HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN IT? >> I FEEL THE EXACT SAME. I FEEL LIKE I’M GETTING TO WHERE I WANT TO GO. LIKE I SAID, I THINK I ANSWERED THAT QUESTION WITH I DON’T, I DON’T WORRY ABOUT MAKES AND MISSES. IT’S ALL ABOUT LIKE THE PROCESS FOR ME. I TRIED TO PUT MYSELF AND MY TEAMMATES IN THE BEST POSITION I CAN EVERY POSSESSION DOWN OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVELY AND WHEREVER, WHEREVER THAT TAKES ME, WHEREVER THAT TAKES OUR TEAM. I’M HAPPY WITH AS LONG AS I, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS NIGHT IN AND NIGHT OUT, PLAY IN AND PLAY OUT. THAT’S THAT’S MORE OF WHAT I’M FOCUSED ON THAN THAT MAKES AND MISSES. SO I FEEL JUST AS CONFIDENT AS I DID THOSE TWO GAMES WHEN I COULDN’T MAKE ANYTHING. >> OSHAE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU SAID WHEN YOU CAME IN HERE THE OTHER NIGHT IS IT’D BE FUN TO KIND OF FIND OUT WHAT THIS TEAM’S REALLY MADE OF. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF, THIS TEAM TONIGHT, OR WHAT DID YOU GUYS PROVE TONIGHT? >> YEAH, I DIDN’T LEARN ANYTHING NEW. I THINK WE. WE WERE WHO WE WHO WE CAN BE TONIGHT. WE PLAYED TO OUR IDENTITY. WE WERE FOCUSED. WE WERE CONFIDENT. WE EXECUTED THE GAME PLAN. AND LIKE, WHEN WE WHEN WE DO THAT AND WE CHECK ALL THOSE BOXES, IT LOOKS LIKE IT DID TONIGHT. AND I THINK WE JUST GOT TO OUR IDENTITY AND DIDN’T VEER FROM IT FOR THE FULL GAME. LIKE COACH SAID. >> THEN YOU PERSONALLY KIND OF SEIZE CONTROL OF THE GAME RIGHT FROM THE START. YOU KNOW 13 POINTS, FIVE ASSISTS. FIRST QUARTER. DID YOU FEEL WAS IT A PRIORITY FOR YOU TO KIND OF SEIZE CONTROL INDIVIDUALLY, OR WAS THAT JUST WHAT WHAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FLOW OF THE GAME. >> YEAH I, I DEFINITELY I DEFINITELY WANTED TO PUT AN IMPRINT ON THE GAME FROM THE GET WITHOUT TRYING TO FORCE ANYTHING. AND ULTIMATELY IT’S STILL JUST LET THE GAME TELL ME WHAT TO DO. THE GAME’S GOING TO TEST ME EVERY POSSESSION DOWN. THEY’RE GOING TO THROW A COVERAGE AT ME AND I HAVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, MAKE THE RIGHT ANSWER. AND I THINK I DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN THE FIRST QUARTER. THAT’S THAT’S BASICALLY WHAT I WAS FOCUSED ON IN THE FIRST QUARTER, JUST TRYING TO DO THAT EVERY EVERY TIME DOWN THE FLOOR AND LET MY TEAMMATES MAKE THE PLAYS FROM THERE. >> YEAH, YEAH. >> I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT RUSSELL WESTBROOK. TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. THE FIRST THING IS I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE WAY THE CROWD RESPONDED TO HIM IN GAME ONE, AND THEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GAME ONE AND GAME TWO, AND HOW THAT ENERGY MIGHT HAVE IMPACTED THINGS. >> HOW DID THEY RESPOND TO GAME LIKE WITH THE OVATION. THE OVATION. YEAH, >> THEY BOOED HIM PRETTY LOUDLY. >> THE OVATION IS BEAUTIFUL. THE THINGS HE’S DONE FOR THIS CITY, THIS ORGANIZATION LIKE HE DESERVES IT NO MATTER WHAT AND WHAT HE’S DONE FOR THE GAME, PERIOD HAS BEEN SPECIAL. AND THAT DOESN’T. JUST BECAUSE HE’S ON THE OTHER TEAM DOESN’T CHANGE ANYTHING. NOW. LIKE THE BOOS TONIGHT, I DON’T I MEAN OUR CROWD THEY THEY THEY GOT IT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY WANT. THEY ALWAYS HAVE OUR BACK. AND THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME AND TO OUR TEAM. AS LONG AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE OUR BACK, WE’LL BE GREAT. BUT THEY CAN CHEER FOR US AND HAVE OUR BACK, I GUESS IS WHAT YOU’RE WHAT YOU’RE ASKING. >> ICE TRAE EARLIER TONIGHT, CELTICS LOST TO GO DOWN TWO ZERO. CAVS ARE DOWN TWO ZERO. I KNOW YOU’RE FOLLOWING ALL THIS LIKE DID THAT. WAS THAT ON YOUR MIND AT ALL. JUST BEING ANOTHER TOP SEED AND NOT FALLING INTO THAT EARLY HOLE. >> I MEAN YEAH LIKE. LIKE FOR ME EVEN THROUGHOUT LIKE THE REGULAR SEASON I TRIED TO LIKE ALWAYS IF WE LOSE A GAME, I TRY TO, LIKE NOT TURN IT INTO A STREAK. AND THAT’S HOW I GO ABOUT THE SEASON. LIKE IF WE LOSE ONE, I TRY TO LIKE HAVE AN EMPHASIS ON THE NEXT GAME TO LIKE TRY TO NOT LOSE TWO IN A ROW AND THEN IN THE PLAYOFFS, OBVIOUSLY EVEN HARDER TO WIN ON THE ROAD. AND LOSING TWO AT HOME PUTS YOU IN A WORSE SPOT. YOU COMPLETELY LOSE HOME COURT ADVANTAGE. BUT BUT YEAH LIKE IT’S DEFINITELY ON YOUR MIND NO MATTER WHAT. BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED, YOU HAVE TO LIKE WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL GOING FORWARD. AND I THINK LAST YEAR DENVER LOST TWO AT HOME, MINNESOTA LOST TWO AT HOME IN THEIR SERIES AND THEN GOING TO SEVEN. AND IT WAS CRAZY. LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE SERIES IS GONNA LOOK LIKE. YOU JUST HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEXT GAME AND BE BETTER FOR THE NEXT GAME. AND WHEREVER IT TAKES YOU, IT TAKES YOU. >> SHAY, YOU’VE SAID COUNTLESS TIMES HOW MUCH THE GUYS BESIDE YOU ARE REALLY A TEAM AS A LEADER. I WANTED TO ASK YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DREW JONES AND WHAT IT’S LIKE AS A LEADER ON THIS TEAM TO SEE A YOUNG GUY KIND OF CONTINUE TO GROW EARLY IN HIS CAREER. >> YEAH, DYLAN’S BEEN GREAT. OBVIOUSLY PLAYING A LESSER ROLE THAN HE’S USED TO PLAYING IN HIS BASKETBALL CAREER. IT’S TOUGH FOR ANY KID THAT’S TALENTED LIKE THAT TO COME IN AND PRACTICALLY NOT PLAY, BUT HE’S HAD GREAT SPIRITS. AND I THINK IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. THE WORLD REALLY SEES WHAT KIND OF BASKETBALL PLAYER HE IS. HE’S SUPER SMART, CAN REALLY PASS, KNOWS THE GAME, WORKS HARD, AND WHEN YOU LIKE, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE THINGS, THINGS WORK OUT FOR YOU IN THIS LEAGUE. AND I HAVE FULL FAITH AND TRUST THAT THAT THINGS WILL WORK OUT FOR HIM. AND I’M EXCITED TO SEE HIS GROWTH GOING FORWARD. >> BADJI SHAY. WHEN THE TEAM SIGNED ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN IN THE OFF SEASON, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE IMMEDIATELY LOOKING TOWARDS THE PLAYOFFS OF LIKE WHERE HIS IMPACT WOULD BE FELT. I KNOW IT’S ONLY SIX GAMES IN, BUT WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN HIS IMPACT? I GUESS MOST FELT JUST THROUGHOUT THIS REGULAR THIS POSTSEASON RUN. >> HIS PASSING ABILITY, HIS REBOUNDING, HIS PLAYMAKING, HIS COMMUNICATION, HIS CAMARADERIE, HIS LEADERSHIP. I THINK ISAIAH IS AT THE END OF THE DAY LIKE JUST A REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYER. AND I THINK LIKE WHATEVER SITUATION YOU THROW HIM IN, HE’S GOING TO FLOURISH BECAUSE OF THAT. HE DOES THE RIGHT THINGS, HE HAS THE RIGHT INTENTIONS AND HE’S JUST REALLY GOOD AT BASKETBALL. I THINK THAT’S WHY YOU, MITCHELL ROBINSON GOT HURT. HE CAME INTO THE LINEUP, HAD A BUNCH OF SUCCESS IN THE PLAYOFFS. COMES HERE, HAS A BUNCH OF SUCCESS RIGHT AWAY. HAD SUCCESS IN THE G LEAGUE. LIKE WHEREVER HE IS HE’S GOING TO MAKE IT WORK BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER HE IS AND THE BASKETBALL PLAYER HE IS. AND IT’S NO COINCIDENCE WE MADE THE JUMP WE MADE FROM LAST YEAR, ADDING HIM AND CARUSO. THOSE GUYS ARE BIG TIME PLAYMAKERS ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR AND IN THE LOCKER ROOM. >> YOU KNOW, LAST QUESTION, SHAY. >> I REALIZE IT’S ONE ON ONE. THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE. BUT THE WAY YOU WON TONIGHT IN DOMINANT FASHION DOES DOES IT FEEL BETTER THAN THAN IT WOULD HAVE FELT IF YOU JUST WIN BY 10 OR 12? DOES IT MEAN MORE TO YOU? >> NO. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE THE EMOTION OUT OF IT. LIKE WINNING BY 100 OR WINNING BY TWO IS STILL 1 TO 1. AND I THINK THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT. LIKE I SAID, EVERY ESPECIALLY IN THE SERIES, LIKE EVERY GAME IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT. TEAMS ARE GOING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. IT’S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT CROWD, A DIFFERENT FEEL. YOU’RE GOING TO START HOT, YOU’RE GOING TO START COLD, LIKE EVERYTHING’S GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT. AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO

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